Double letter envelope



M. M. KAUFMANN DOUBLE LETTER ENVELOPE Jan. 6, 1959 Filed April 1, 1955 JOHN JONES 322 CENTEFS HEW VORK 123 mm r NEW YOQK ,4 TTOP/YEY DOUBLE LETTER ENVELOPE Milton M. Kaufmann, Rome, N. Y.

ApplicationApril 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,551

Claims. (Cl. 229-73) This invention relates to letter envelopes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a double letter envelope which, when sealed, affords the same privacy as an ordinary envelope, i. e. which protects the contents from being seen from the outside and prevents enclosures from falling out.

It is another object of the invention to provide an envelope of the character described which is easy to use and the operation of which is readily understandable It is another object of the invention to provide an envelope of the character described which is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

It is another object of the invention to provide an envelope of the character described which provides abundant writing space for both original and return letters.

It is another object of the invention to provide an envelope of the character described which may be manufactured in one piece.

Other. objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the letter envelopes hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front view of a double letter envelope embodying the present invention, the same being shown in fully folded condition ready for initial mailing;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the envelope shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said envelope as it appears when completely unfolded;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the return letter envelope, thesame being shown in open condition and after detachment from the original double letter envelope;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the folded return envelope alone; and

'Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of an unfolded return envelope portion of a double letter envelope embodying a modified form of the invention.

In general, the objects of the invention are carried out by providing a rectangular sheet 10 of ordinary writing paper or heavy paper which includes five consecutive transverse parallel creases 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 (reading from bottom to top on Fig. 3). Said creases divide the sheet into panels 22, 24, 26 and 28, and two tongue-shaped end flaps 30 and 32 (again reading from bottom to top on Fig.3). Panels 22 and 28 constitute the end panels and panels 24 and 26 are the middle panels. Flaps 30 and 32 extend from end panels 22 and 28, respectively.

End panel 22 has a lesser height than the other panels, panel 24 has a height equal to or less than that ofpanel 26, and panel 26 is somewhat smaller in height than end panel 28. Thus, creases 12 and 14 are spaced closer to each other than creases 14 and 16, 16 and 18, and 18 and tent EC j P 20 are to one another; creases 14 and 16 are spaced from one another a distance equal to or less than that between creases 16 and 18; and creases 18 and 20 are spaced further from each other than the other pairs of adjacent creases. The distance between creases 18 and 20 will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Each end panel has a pair of substantially triangular side wings, the wings associated with panel 22 being numbered 34 and those associated with panel 28 being numbered 36. Creases 38 and 40 are disposed between wings 34 and panel 22 and wings 36 and panel 28 respectively.

atented Jan. 6, 1959 Said creases form a side of each wing and are colinear with sides of the middle panels 24 and 26 respectively.

the letter envelope is made entirely in one piece. Alterna-- tively, hinges, fabricated for example from paper, may be substituted for-any or all of the creases.

In order to carry out the instant invention, pairs of parallel score lines are provided adjacent creases 12, 16

and 20. The lines of each pair are disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent the associated crease. The purpose of these lines will become apparent hereinafter.

Score lines 46 and 48 are located on panels 24 and 26 respectively, adjacent and parallel to crease 16. Score line 48 is spaced a distance from crease 18 about equal to or greater than the distance between creases 12 and 14. In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. l-6, line 46 is located a distance from crease 14 equal to or very slightly less than the distance between creases 12and 14. Preferably, each of these lines is located about the same distance from crease 16 as the other.

Score lines 50 and 52 are provided on opposite sides of crease 20 on panel 28 and flap 32 respectively. Said score lines extend across the wings 36 and tabs 44. Score line 50 is located a distance from crease 18 greater than the distance between creases 12 and 14; it is spaced from crease 20 a distance at least slightly greater than that of score line 46 from crease 16. To permit score line 50 to be located as described above, the distance between creases 18 and 20 should be greater than the total of the distances between creases 12 and 14 and score line 46 and crease 16. Score line 52 is spaced from crease 20 a distance at least slightly greater than that of score line 48 from crease 16.

Score lines 54 and 56 are provided on flap 30 and panel 22, respectively, said score lines extending across tabs 42 and wings 34. These score lines are located a short distance from crease 12.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 7,

an additional score line 58 traverses panel 24 parallel to score line 46. Said score line 58 is spaced from crease 14a distance equal to or less than the distance between score line 56 and crease 14. In this form of the invention, score line 46 may be spaced from crease 14 a distance greater than that between creases 12 and 14.

Gummed regions 60 and 62 are located on flap 30 and tabs 42, respectively. Said regions are disposed on the upper surface of the flap and tabs in the areas between score line 54 and the free edges of the flap and tabs. Similar gummed regions 64 and 66 are provided for flap 32 and tabs 44.

The double letter envelope functions as follows: the panels 26 and 28, flap 32, Wings 36 and tabs 44 comprise the forwarding, i. e. outer letter envelope; and panels 22 and 24, flap 30, wings 34 and tabs 42 comprise the return, i. e. inner letter envelope. To use the double letter en'-v velope, the forwarder will write the message on the upper 3 surface of panels 28 and 26. The forwarders address or some other address can be written by the forwarder on the lower surface of panel 22. The recipients address is written on the lower surface of panel 28.

When the latter is ready to be sent out, wings 34 are folded onto panel 22. Tabs 42 are folded onto the wings and flap 35) is folded over the tabs, wings and panel. Panel 22 is then folded onto panel 24 and the return letter envelope produced thereby is folded onto panel 26. The resulting bundle is folded onto panel 28, and flap 32 is folded so that its gummed region 64 lies against the back of panel 26. Said flap is affixed to the back of panel 26 by the gummed region. The wings 36 are folded to lie against the back of panel 26 over flap 32, and, finally, the tabs 44 are folded down over the addressing face, i. e. the back of panel 28, and are secured thereto by gummed regions 66. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 4.)

When the double letter envelope is received, it is opened by tearing along superimposed score lines 50 and 52, which are in registry when the envelope is sealed. Moreover, since the score lines 46 and 48 are registered with the score lines 50 and 52, when the double letter envelope is opened, the initial letter envelope is separated from the return letter envelope. (See Fig. 4.)

After reading the contents of the initial letter envelope, the recipient can write his reply on panels 22 and 24 of the return letter envelope. (See Fig. 5.) To prepare the return letter envelope for mailing, all that is required is to fold panel 24 onto panel 22, fold flap 30 onto the back of panel 24, adhere the flap to the panel by the guinmed region 60, fold wings 34 onto the back of panel 24 and flap 30, and fold tabs 42 down over the back of panel 22. Tabs 42 are adhered to panel 22 by means of the gummed regions 62.

In the preferred form of the invention, the height of panel 24 after tearing along score line 46 is about equal to or slightly less than that of panel 22. Thus panel 24 will fit over panel 22 and within the tab 30. To open the return envelope it is simply necessary to tear along registered score lines 54 and 56. (See Fig. 6.)

The modified form of the invention operates in the same manner as the preferred form with the following exception. The height of panel 24 after tearing along score line 46 may be greater than the height of panel 22. Therefore, prior to writing on panels 22 and 24 of the return envelope, the small section 68 of panel 24 is removed by tearing along score line 58. As described above, score line 58 is equal to or less than the distance between score line 56 and crease 14. The result is that. when the inner envelope of the modified form is opened,.

no portion of panel 24 will project into the area of tearing.

It thus will be seen that there are provided letter envelopes which achieve the several objects of the invention and are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A double letter envelope comprising a rectangular piece of paper, means transversely subdividing the piece into at least four consecutive panels successively and foldable with respect to each other, two of said panels being end panels, a wing foldably attached to each side edge of each end panel, a flap foldably attached to the outer edge of each end panel, each said wing having an edge colinear with the outer edge of its associated end panel, a tab foldably attached to each colinear edge of each wing, one end panel being smaller in height than the Other panels, the other end panel being larger in height than the other panels, the double letter envelope including an initial letter envelope consisting of the larger end panel and its adjacent paneland a return letter envelope comprising the remaining panels, said two letter envelopes being joined by one of said subdividing means, the attaching means between each end panel and its associated flap having a weakened zone on each side thereof, one of said zones being located on the flap and the other being located on the associated end panel, the weakened zone on each flap extending across the tabs at the same end of the piece of paper, the weakened zone. on each end panel extending across its associated wings, and a weakened Zone located on each side of said one subdividing means.

2. A double letter envelope comprising a rectangular piece of paper, means transversely subdividing the piece into at least four consecutive panels successively foldable with respect to each other, two of said panels being end panels, a wing foldably attached to each side edge of each end panel, a flap foldably attached to the outer edge of each end panel, each said wing having an edge colinear with the outer edge of its associated end panel, one end panel being smaller in height than the -other panels, the other end panel being larger in height than the other panels, the double letter envelopeincluding anv initial letter envelope consisting of the larger end panel and its adjacent panel and a return letter envelope comprising the remaining panels, said two letter envelopes being joined by one of said subdividing means, the attache ing means between each end panel and its associated flap having a weakened zone on each side thereof, one of said zones being located on the flap and the other being located on the associated end panel, the weakened zone on each end panel extending across its associated Wings, and a weakened zone located on each side of said one subdividing means, the weakened zones on each side of the attaching means between the larger end panel and its associated flap and the weakened zones on each side of said one subdividing means being substantially in registry when the double letter envelope is arranged for initial mailing, whereby the double letter envelope is opened and the initial letter envelope separated from the return letter envelope simultaneously by tearing along the registered weakened zones.

3. A double letter envelope comprising a rectangular piece of paper, means transversely subdividing the piece into at least four consecutive panels successively foldable with respect to each other, two of said panels being end panels, a wing foldably attached to each side edge of each end panel, a flap foldably attached to the outer edge of each end panel, each said wing having an edge colinear with the outer edge of its associated end panel, one end panel being smaller in height than the other panels, the other end panel being larger in height than the other panels, the double letter envelope including an initial letter envelope consisting of the larger end panel and its adjacent panel and a return letter envelope comprising the remaining panels, said two letter envelopes being joined by one of said subdividing means, the attaching means between each end panel and its associated flap having a weakened zone on each side thereof, one of said zones being located on the flap and the other being located on the associated end panel, the weakened zone on each end panel extending across its associated wings, and a weakened zone located on each side of said one subdividing means, the weakened zones on each side, of the attaching means between the larger end panel and its associated flap and'the weakened zones on each side of said one subdividing means being substantially in registry when the double letter envelope is arranged for initial mailing, whereby the double letter envelopeis opened and the initial letter envelope separated from the return letter envelope simultaneously by tearing along the registered weakened zones, and the weakened zones on each side of attaching means between the smaller end panel and its associated flap being disposed remote from the aforesaid registered weakened zones when the double letter envelope is arranged for initial mailing 4. A double letter envelope comprising a rectangular piece of paper, means transversely subdividing the piece into at least four consecutive panels successively foldable with respect to each other, two of said panels being end panels, a wing foldably attached to each side edge of each end panel, a flap foldably attached to the outer edge of each end panel, each said wing having an edge colinear with the outer edge of its associated end panel, a tab foldably attached to each colinear edge of each wing, one end panel being smaller in height than the other panels, the other end panel being larger in height than the other panels, the double letter envelope including an initial letter envelope consisting of the larger end panel and its adjacent panel and a return letter envelope comprising the remaining panels, said two letter envelopes being joined by one of said subdividing means, the attaching means between each end panel and its associated flap having a weakened zone on each side there of, one of said zones being located on the flap and the other being located on the associated end panel, the weakened zone on each flap extending across the tabs at the same end of the piece of paper, the weakened zone on each end panel extending across its associated wings, and a weakened zone located on each side of said one subdividing means, the weakened zones on each side of the attaching means between the larger end panel and its associated flap and between the wings at the same end of the piece of paper and the associated tabs and the weakened zones on each side of said one subdividing means being all substantially in registry when the double letter envelope is arranged for initial mailing, whereby the double letter envelope is opened and the initial letter envelope separated from the return letter envelope simultaneously by tearing along said registered weakened zones.

5. A double letter envelope as set forth in claim 4 wherein the weakened zones on each side of the attaching means between the smaller end panel and its associated flap are disposed remote from the registered weakened zones when the donbleletter envelope is arranged for initial mailing so that'these latter weakened zones will not be torn when the registered weakened zones are torn to open the double letter envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,776 Rogers May 27, 1879 381,558 Kister Apr. 24, 1888 769,536 Dixon Sept. 6, 1904 1,064,302 Donohue June 10, 1913 1,110,286 Brown Sept. 8, 1914 1,180,981 Cufal Apr. 25, 1916 1,811,341 Welch June 23, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,667 Great Britain 1890 122,985 Germany Aug. 10, 1901 

